Latch mechanism



LATCH MECHANISM Charles S. Forshey, Caldwell, Ohio Application September 23, 1957, Serial No, 685,630 7 Claims. (Cl*.-29;2-216) This invention relates to latch mechanisms for cabinets or the like and particularly to a novel latch mechanism whichcan be readily opened by adults but which cannot be opened, by' small children. In general, the latch mechanism of the present invention includes a pair of latch members that are mounted within the frame of the cabinet with one of the members being secured to the frame and the other" of the members being secured to the door; The mechanism further includes a pair of actuators which are pivotally mounted within the cabinet and which include handle portions which extend through the side wall of the cabinet so as to be accessible from the exterior thereof. The handle portions of the actuators are partially surrounded by a shield which includes an opening that permits limited access to the handle portions. The latch means within the cabinet are disengaged to permit opening of the door when the two handle portions on the actuators are pressed one toward the other. In order to actuate the handle portions it is necessary for one person to insert his thumb and finger into the above mentioned opening inthe shield and; to further squeeze the handle portions one toward the other whereby the actuators release the latch means. In the event, however, that a child should attempt to actuate the handle portions the child is unable to accomplish this manipulation since his fingers are too short to extend far enough into the opening to depress the handle portions, moreover, the childs hands are too large to enter the opening so that it is impossiblefor thechild to actuate the shielded handle portions of the actuators. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel latch mechanism that be readily operated-by an adult but which cannot be operated by small children.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent fromthefollowing description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings .wherein preferredformsof embodiments of the invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a partial perspective view of: the interior ofa cabinet; showing the latch mechanism of the present invention illustrated therein;

Figure 2 is an elevationalview'p'artially in section of a portionof the mechanisrnt of Figure 1. with the section being taken along the line k2. of Figure 1.;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the cabinet and mechanism "o ffFigure 1;

Figure 4 is an elevational view showing the handle portions and shieldcomprising a portion of the mechanism of the preceding figures, the view being taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

* States Patent position illustrated in Figure 3. members 40 and; 41 are movedapart and latchmember -46:moves..to theright into a position. of locked engage ice 2 25. A rotary latch element 30 is rotatably mounted on shelf 23 by means of a bracket 31 and bearing pin 32. Rotary latch element 30 is provided with a socket 34. that latches with vertical pin 28 when the latch members are in the configuration illustrated in. Figure 3.

A pair of levers or actuators 36 and 37 are pivotally mounted to side wall 21 at pivot 38. The front emfv of actuator 36 includes a latch element 40 and similarly the front end of actuator 37 includes a second latch element 41. A rod 43 is pivotally mounted to rotary latch 30 at pivot 44 whereby rotation of rotary latch 30 extends. and retracts rod 43 relative to latch elements 40 and 41 on. actuators. 36 and 37 respectively. A third latch element 46 is carried on the end of rod 43 and positioned so that when rotary latch memebr 30 is: in closed position illustrated in Figure 3 the rod 43 and the third latch element 46 carried. thereon is: extended to the right whereby compression spring 47 must latch elements 40 and 41 toward one another and; into latched engagement with latch. element 46 on rod 43.

The rear ends. of actuators 36 and 37 include handle portions 49 and 56) which extend through slot 51 to the exterior of the cabinet. A shield indicated generally at 53 is mounted: to. the outer surface of side wall 21 and surrounds handle portions 49 and 50. An opening 55 in the front. of shield 53 provides. limited access for the actuation of handle portions 49 and 50. An obstruction 56 is mounted within shield 53. centrally of opening 55 and. snch obstruction. dividesv the opening. into an upper opening portion. 57 and' a lower opening portion 58, Figure 4. To press. the handle portions 49 and 5.0 one toward the other, it is. only necessary that a person insert his thumb into opening portion 57' above handle portion 49 and. his finger into lower opening portion 58 below handle portion 50. The handle portions 49 and 50' are next. squeezed together whereby latch members 40 and 41, Figure l, are caused to move apart whereby latch portions 40 and 41 on actuators 36. and 37, respectively, release latch portion 46 on the end of the rod 43. Door 25 can then be pulled open since rotary latch 30 is free to rotate once the latch. elements 40 and 41 release the latch element 46.

It should be pointed out that the thumb access space provided by upper opening portion 57 and the finger access space provided by lower opening portion 58 are made small. enough to. prevent a small child from insert.- inghistwo hands into the opening portions. Moreover, the distance between upper handle portion 49 andlower handle portion 50 is too great for a child to span with his thumb and finger. Since it isnecessary to-rnove bothv of the handle portions 49 and 50, in order to re.- lease. latch element 46, it will. be understood that it. is virtually impossible for a small. child to' actuate the latch; mechanism.

In operation, when both the handle portions 49 and 5.0 are; moved one toward the other, actuators. 36- and 37 arev moved-together in the back and spread: in the front whereby latch elements 40. and 41 release latch element 46 and permit rotary latch member 30 to rotate whereby stationary latch member 27 is released and door 25 can be; opened. When door 25 is; closed' pin 23' enters slot 34; and; rotary latch member. 30 rotates to the closed As this occurs latch merit; withlatch elements: 46 and 41-.

While the forms of embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A door latch mechanism for use with a cabinet or Patented- Feb. 9, 196.0;

the like having a frame means and a door means hinged to said frame means, said latch mechanism comprising, in combination, a first latch member carried by one of said means; a second latch member carried by the other of said means, one of said latch members being moveable between a latched position wherein said door means is maintained closed and a released position wherein said doormeans can open, said two latch members being inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means; a pair of levers pivoted to said frame, each of said levers including a latch element inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means and a handle portion ac cessible from the exterior of said cabinet means; a rod having one end secured to said moveable latch member and the other end provided with a third latch element engageable with said latch elements of said levers; and means urging said latch elements-into engagement with one another.

2. A door latch mechanism for use with a cabinet or the like having a frame means and a door means hinged to said frame means, said latch mechanism comprising, in combination, a first latch member carried by one of said means; a second latch member carried by the other of said means, one of said latch members being moveable between a latched position wherein said door means is maintained closed and a released position wherein said door means can open, said two latch members being inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means; a pair of levers pivoted to said frame, each of said levers including a latch element inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means and a handle portion accessible from the exterior of said cabinet means; a rod having one end secured to said moveable latch member and the other end provided with a third latch element engageable with said latch elements of said levers; means urging said latch elements into engagement with one another; and housing means for said handle portions, said housing 'means including an opening providing restricted access to said levers.

3. A door latch mechanism for use with a cabinet or the like having a frame means and a door means hinged to said frame means, said latch mechanism comprising, in combination, a first latch member carried by one of said means; a second latch member carried by the other of said means, one of said latch members being moveable between a latched position wherein said door means is maintained closed and a released position wherein said door means can open, said two latch members being inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means; a first lever pivoted to said frame and including a latch element inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means and a handle portion accessible from the exterior of said cabinet means; a second lever pivoted to said frame and including a latch element inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means and a handle portion accessible from the exterior of said cabinet means, said two levers being coextensive with the handle portion and latch elements in spaced relationship; a rod having one endsecured to said moveable latch member and the other end including a third latch element disposed between said first and second latch elements; and means urging said latch elements into engagement with one another.

4. A door latch mechanism for use with a cabinet or the like having a frame means and a door means hinged to said frame means, said latch mechanism comprising, in combination, a first latch member carried by one of 'said means; a second latch member carried by the other of said means, one of said latch members being moveable between a latched position wherein said door means is maintained closed and a released position wherein said door means can open, said two latch members being inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means; a pair of levers pivoted to said frame, each of said levers including a latch inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means element and a handle portion accessible from the exterior of said cabinet means; a rod having one end secured to said moveable latch member and the other end provided with a third latch element engageable with said latch elements of said levers; means urging said latch elements into engagement with one another; and housing means for said handle portions, said housing means including an opening providing restricted access to said levers.

5. A door latch mechanism for use with a cabinet or the like having a frame means and a door means hinged to said frame means, said latch mechanism comprising, in combination, means inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means and forming a latch between said door means and said frame means; a pair of moveable actuators accessible from the exterior of said cabinet means spaced one from another outside said cabinet; and means inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means for operatively connecting said actuators with 7 said latch means and including a firs-t latch shoulder releasably engageable with one of said actuators and a second latch shoulder releasably engageable with the other of said actuators.

6. A door latch mechanism for use with a cabinet or the like having a frame means and a door means hinged to said frame means, said latch mechanism comprising, in'combination, means inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means and forming a latch between said door means and said frame means; a pair of moveable actuators accessible from the exterior of said cabinet means spaced one from another outside said cabinet; means inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means and connected to said latch means and releasably engaged by said actuators; and shield means comprising a first wall adjacent one of said actuators and a second wall adjacent the other of said actuators, the spaces between each actuator and its respective wall being slightly greater than the diameter of a finger.

7. A door latch mechanism for use with a cabinet or the like having a frame means and a door means hinged to said frame means, said latch mechanism comprising, in combination, means inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinetframe means and forming a latch between said door means and said frame means; a pair of moveable actuators accessible from the exterior of said cabinet means spaced one from another outside said cabinet; means inaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet frame means and operatively connecting said actuators with said latch means and including a first latch shoulder releasably engageable with one of said actuators and a second latch shoulder releasably engageable with the other of said actuators; and shield means comprising a first wall adjacent one of said actuators and a second wall adjacent the other of said actuators, the spaces between each actuator and its respective wall being slightly greater than the diameter of a finger.

I References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 662,722 Helfritz Nov. 27, 1900 944,896 Moore Dec. 28, 1909 1,559,160 Carter Oct. 27, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS 740,503 Germany Oct. 22, 1943 

